An Internal Affair
by DeenaTweety
Summary: TB/VN-M-is it possible? Bones is feeling blue since Booth and Hannah got engaged, but a well-deserved vacation and some new feelings may be just what she needs to get back on her feet. (I can't finish this, but it's up for adoption!)
1. The beginning

**A/N:** Hello! So here's the deal-this is a Temperance Brennan/Vincent Nigel-Murray fic that's been bouncing around in my head since this last episode where she laughed at the idea of them having sex or whatever... so I was like, "IS the idea so crazy?" Ha well it is, but just let me know what you think. I love to hear from you guys and see what your ideas are so if you have any please drop a review!

PS-This chapter is expository! So there isn't much action going on here. Also, everything has been the same in the series, except Hannah said yes when Booth asked her to marry him. Again, review and give me your thoughts!

Love, me. :)

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><p>Things weren't going so well for Temperance Brennan. She'd been trudging through life since Booth and Hannah had gotten engaged and she was exhausted, mentally and physically.<p>

Some days she felt better, like maybe things would look up for her soon but seeing Booth and Hannah together made her feel worse. And she was tired of feeling sorry for herself.

"So how are you holding up, Tempe?" Angela asked. She looked up at her best friend, who was sitting across from her at her desk.

"How long have you been there?" she asked, surprised. Was she so distracted that she didn't notice people coming in and out of the room?

"I just sat down," Angela said with a small laugh, although her face betrayed a look of concern. "You must not be doing so well." Brennan rubbed her eyes and blinked.

"I just haven't been getting adequate sleep, Angela. Nothing else is wrong."

"Come on." Brennan bit her lip and realized they were at an impasse. The door was closed (when did it close? How had she not heard it close?) and the look of concern on Angela's face had morphed into determination and a desire for the details of her best friend's life.

"I don't know, Angela," her voice started to shake, this was bad. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Maybe it's just that… everything around me is changing and that's difficult."

Angela leaned forward. "Change is hard for everyone, sweetie. But it doesn't always have to be a bad thing." She knew what Temperance meant and her heart went out to her. She'd been hurt before, and this was definitely a case of a broken heart, whether her friend would admit it or not.

"It's bad for me," she replied, sniffling. She was about to tell Angela everything before the shrill ring of her cell phone.

"Don't pick it up," Angela said quickly, just as Brennan's finger was about to hit the button. They sat, somehow frozen in the room. The caller ID displayed Booth's number and they both knew that a case had come up.

Angela went on as soon as the phone stopped ringing. "Listen, sweetie. I can see that you're tired and emotional right now." She held up a finger to silence Brennan, who was about to protest. "When was your last vacation?"

"You know I was in the Maluku Islands for a few months," she replied. Angela rolled her eyes. That was still work. Of course Brennan would consider something like that a vacation.

"That was ages ago. You need to _relax_. You're under a lot of stress—" the phone rang again. This time, Brennan hit the ignore button. "Do you remember when you said you'd do anything to help me out during my pregnancy?"

"Of course," Brennan replied, surprised by the remark. What did Angela's pregnancy have to do with her own problems?

"I'm not supposed to be stressed out about anything. And I'm worried about you!"

"I'm just tired, Angela…"

"Sweetie, you've been 'just tired' for the past two months." Brennan sighed. There was probably no stopping her at this point. "Even if you're 'just tired' that still means that you're working too hard!"

"I can't just ignore work," Brennan said, but with a smile. The phone rang again. "I have to answer this, it might be an emergency. Hello?"

"Hey, Bones." It was Booth. Angela frowned and crossed her arms over her growing stomach.

* * *

><p>Vincent Nigel-Murray always felt nervous around Dr. Brennan. She was smart, and a little cold, but she was also gorgeous, which made her ten times more intimidating.<p>

"Mr. Nigel-Murray," she said, putting an emphasis on the '_mister_.'

"Yes, Dr. Brennan?" He looked up from the skeleton, sure that his voice was neutral and polite. He was still embarrassed from the other week when she'd laughed at the absurd idea of the two of them in a 'passionate' on-and-off relationship.

"I hope you've found something for me to tell Booth and Cam. I feel as though we've been lagging in our work lately…" As she tied her hair up he wondered what she meant by that. Was _he_ lagging is his work?

He showed her his progress (in his opinion, some great evidence). He watched her face soften and relax as he showed her the evidence of puncture wounds in the ribs and the posthumous crushing of the skull.

"So she would have died from the stab wounds," she mused, almost unaware of him. "Very good, Mr. Nigel-Murray."

"Would you like me to let Dr. Soroyan know?"

"No, I'll be able to tell her," Brennan said. Vincent noticed that she'd suddenly paled. Her hand reached out for a moment to hold on to the edge of the metal table, but after a moment she let go.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked quickly.

"I'm fine, why?" she asked, her voice shaky. Vincent cautiously lifted a hand to her shoulder. She smiled. "Don't worry, I'm completely fine."

"Perhaps I should help you down the stairs," he said, but regretted his suggestion as soon as she rolled her eyes at him.

"You don't have to worry, I'm perfectly capable going down the stairs," she said with a laugh. And then she passed out.

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><p>She woke up on her office couch, with Vincent Nigel-Murray in a chair pulled up next to her.<p>

"Ah, don't move too much," he said quickly as she struggled to sit up. "You have an IV drip…" She looked around the room to find Angela and Booth in the room as well.

"What happened?" she asked softly, unable to speak much louder.

"You were dehydrated and exhausted," Angela said. "I told you to take a vacation."

"She's right, Bones," piped in Booth. "I'm taking you home." He crouched next to her and patted her on the cheek. "Ready to go—" His phone was ringing. "It's Parker's school, hang on."

Angela talked as Booth paced outside the glass doors on the phone. Her eyes wandered to Mr. Nigel-Murray, who was frowning and staring at the IV in her arm. She tried but couldn't listen to what Angela was saying.

"… Please, please take a vacation. Two weeks minimum!" Vincent was nodding nervously, as if agreeing with Angela would get him in trouble.

"Work place accidents are seventy percent more likely to occur when an employee is deprived of sleep," he said. Brennan scoffed.

"I'm not sleep-deprived," she said.

"You just told me this morning that you were," Angela retorted. "You are taking a vacation before you send me into early labor, got it?"

"I'm okay," Brennan insisted, sitting up slowly. "I have to get back to work. Mr. Nigel-Murray just found cause of death." She looked at him. "Where are my shoes?"

"By the door," he said. "Along with your coat. Would you like me to get them for you?"

"I'm not leaving," she said, feeling more and more defeated by the second. "Will you please bring me my shoes and we'll continue working? This is not a big deal…"

Vincent looked to Angela, who shook her head. He looked back to his boss. "I don't think it's a good idea, Dr. Brennan."

She was too tired for this fight, she realized. She was on the verge of tears from exhaustion; maybe they were right. The door re-opened and Booth came back into the office.

"I have to go to Parker's school and pick him up. They say he might have broken his arm on the playground. Can you take her home, Angela?"

"Oh, no, I can't," she said apologetically. "I have an ultrasound I need to get to in fifteen minutes. Hang on, let me call and reschedule."

"Hang on, Angela, if you need me to I can drive Dr. Brennan home," Vincent piped up. "I can hurry and be back in an hour."

"What about working?" Temperance said.

"Listen, sweetie, you need to relax," Angela said. "Vincent, take her home. I'll talk to Cam when I get back from my appointment, okay? Brennan, don't worry about it."

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><p>The ride to Brennan's home was quiet. Ten minutes into the ride, Vincent looked over to his passenger.<p>

"Dr. Brennan, is there any particular music you like to listen to?" He needed to fill the silence or he'd die of awkwardness. Brennan sat up a little.

"I think I have a headache," she said. "I'm sorry you had to drive me back."

Suddenly he felt guilty for feeling so awkward. "It's quite alright," he replied. "You'll have to tell me which street to turn on."

"Just keeping going straight," she said quietly. "I'm relieved you started talking. I was feeling very uncomfortable when we were silent." Brennan shifted so she could look at him more closely. "What weapon do you suppose was used to make the puncture marks on the ribs?"

"Dr. Brennan, maybe you should focus more on relaxing, than on this case," he said good-naturedly. She frowned.

"Turn here," she sighed. He walked her to the door and left her, not remembering her looking so defeated.


	2. A small favor

Okay guys, I know it's been three weeks since I last updated. And I am so so sorry! I will make an effort to be better and post at least every two weeks.

So, apologies aside, holy. Crap. They totally killed off Vincent! I was so upset, I almost cried. I had to keep telling myself, "This is just a TV show, this is just a TV show…" So I guess what this means is that I won't be sticking to my original plans for this little story. It's not going to stick to the show as closely as I'd hoped, because I am obviously not going to kill Vincent! And, well, if you watched the season finally (which I LOVED, btw!), you know I won't be doing that. But hey, it's okay. Just stick with me and we'll do this thang. ;)

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><p>The past couple of days had been dragging for Temperance. She wasn't even relaxing, and the only thing she had to look forward to was when Booth or Angela or Hodgins came by to visit her. She'd even actually enjoyed a conversation with Hannah, which was rare.<p>

She was contemplating the idea of taking her television out of the closet when she heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she called. Angela had just left, and Booth and Hannah usually called before they came over. She looked through the peephole to see Vincent Nigel-Murray standing on the other side, holding a brown paper bag in his arms. She opened the door.

"Dr. Brennan!" he said enthusiastically, "I came by to tell you that we've solved the case. And…" He walked into her apartment and set down the bag. "I thought you might want something from the Royal Diner."

She was happier than usual to see him, and realized that she'd almost missed him over the past few days. He _was_ her favorite intern. She chalked it up to lack of human contact. "Mr. Nigel-Murray," she said, not really knowing what she would say to him. He looked at her inquisitively.

"How has your stay-cation been?" he joked with a smile. She looked tired, and he wondered if he'd woke her up. It was only nine o'clock at night but one never knew. "Have I interrupted your sleep? I can leave—"

"No, you haven't," she said quickly. "Thank you for bringing me food. Could you possibly tell me the details of the case?" He realized that it was probably how she always looked, and that she had probably been nervous about the case during the last two days. He was happy to fill her in and put her worries to rest.

"What have you been doing Dr. Brennan?" he asked after they'd talked about work.

"I haven't been doing too much," she said. "Just staying home. Oh, Angela came by to visit me. And so did Hannah and Booth."

"You haven't gone out with friends?" He regretted the question as soon as it left his mouth. Suddenly she was staring at her food, her cheeks flushed. "What I mean is, have you taken the opportunity to relax?" It was a terrible save and he felt awful.

"I haven't been on vacation for very long," she replied, twirling a spoon in her soup. "Perhaps I'll have time later to go out. I have two whole weeks."

"Well Dr. Brennan, maybe we could… do something." She raised an eyebrow and he back-pedaled. "No, I, I don't mean a date. I meant, perhaps you could accompany me on an outing… platonically… with some friends, I mean my friends, I have a few that…" A smirk was forming on her face and he stopped mid-sentence. She was teasing him.

"I'll be alright," she said with a growing smile, "Thank you for bringing me food and visiting with me."

He stood and found his jacket. "Anytime, Dr. Brennan. Is there anything else I can do?"

"No thank you. Hold on…" she thought for a moment about the television. It was probably best that she left in it the closet, she thought. "Never mind. Thank you, Vincent." He smiled at his name and left.

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><p>It was one in the morning and she still couldn't sleep. She glanced at the digital clock once again and then turned it so she wouldn't see the time. She was tired but her mind was racing. Hannah and Booth didn't occupy her mind as much these days, but she still felt a pang in her heart when she remembered.<p>

She'd missed her chance that night when Booth took a gamble on her, but she'd blown it completely when she'd expressed this to him. Now she had to deal with the rejection and the embarrassment of Hannah knowing. They treated her different, she knew, and they probably tried to go on like it had never happened.

But it had. And she was thankful but at the same time angry that her feelings had been glossed over. Then there was Angela and Hodgins who were having a baby any day now, and even Cam had Michelle. She was sad and lonely and, at her worst, so jealous of everyone around her. The worst part was that she knew her feelings were unfair to her friends. And she wanted so badly to be happy for them, but she couldn't completely share in their joy.

Temperance sighed and turned over. She forced her eyes shut and they burned. Then there was Vincent, who'd inadvertently pointed out that she had no other friends. What could she do to feel better? She was suddenly gripped by a deep fear that nothing would change for her.

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><p>Vincent sat at his home in the dark, watching the television on mute. He was thinking, as usual, but tonight he could only toy with the idea of going downtown to the liquor store. But no; he had already begun AA meetings and he couldn't relapse. How would he live with himself knowing that he'd come this far just to give up?<p>

"In 2007 there were 14,406 deaths from liver damage from alcohol," he said clearly, with diction, into the dark. He felt a little better, so he continued. "Excluding accidents and homicides there were 23,199 alcohol-induced deaths." Wrong, his voice was starting to shake. What would he do? He certainly couldn't sleep.

Perhaps, he thought to himself, a glass or two of wine wouldn't hurt. Other people drank only socially, he could go back to that. But then again, he was alone.

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><p>The next day he was pleased to be called to work. The voice of the lovely Angela Montenegro had summoned him, telling him that there was a very important case and that he was just the intern needed to help.<p>

He arrived at the Jeffersonian dressed in a lab uniform and swiped his card and stepped onto the platform to be greeted by an incredulous Cam and an enthusiastic Wendell.

"Hello, Vincent," Cam said in her typical tone. Wendell gave him a short nod and a grin.

"Greetings, Dr. Saroyan," he replied eagerly. He wondered why two interns would be needed for this case but soon realized that since Dr. Brennan was on vacation, someone would need to pick up the extra slack. "What do you have so far?"

Cam's eyebrows were raised, high enough to touch her short bangs. "A crazy intern," she said, amused. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I got the call, and—"

"Vincent!" Angela yelled. "Down here!" He looked to see her waving at him from below the platform and suddenly he realized that he wasn't on a real case at all. His face flushed and he gave a nervous laugh.

"Oh, I believe that I had the wrong impression…" he stammered, swiping the card and going down the stairs. "My apologies!"

When he reached Angela she shook her head and smiled at him. "You know I was using the term 'very special case' in a… well, an ironic way?"

"Oh, I should have known," he said good-naturedly. "How can I help you, Miss Montenegro? Or, Mrs. Hodgins?" She smiled.

"Whichever name works for you, sweetie. I was calling you to ask if you could help me with Brennan." She certainly doesn't beat around the bush, he thought. But what could he do to help in that situation at all?

"I'll do what I can," he said. She smiled.

"Okay, so here's the deal. Obviously she needs to get out of her apartment and have fun, but obviously I'm too fat and swollen to take her out and have a good time." She paused for a moment to let the words sink in but continued before he could protest that she looked fine. "Booth and Hannah are super busy planning their wedding and spending time with Parker, so I can't rely on him to help her feel better." She sounded almost bitter when she said it.

"Are you asking me to take her out?" he asked, remembering their awkward moment from the previous night. Dr. Brennan would think he was pursuing her. And on top of the admission that he'd spread a rumor about their sex lives, it would look even worse.

"Well, yeah," she said as if it were obvious. "I feel like I've been neglecting her as a friend… so I have to do something."

"I don't know, Angela…" he said reluctantly, "I may not be the best person for this…"

"Why not, Vincent?" she said encouragingly. "You're her favorite intern!" He was shocked and suddenly proud to hear that. When had she said that? "She says you're the most intelligent," Angela grinned, "Don't tell the other interns. So what do you say?"

He thought for a moment, about last night. She had looked so… downcast when he'd asked if she had other friends. And Angela was caring enough and trusted him with this task (which was probably a way of selling her point, but if he was Dr. Brennan's favorite intern then…). Why not?

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><p>AN:

Hey everybody, sorry the chapter is short again but I promise they will get longer and deeper as we go along. Right now, though, I'd really like to ask what you think about this. Is it good, bad, too terribly out of character?

And more importantly, what would you like to see happen here? Please let me know your thoughts.

Love, me


	3. A little trivia

Hello again! No long note this time; just a reminder to review and leave me your thoughts!

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><p>Vincent stood at the threshold of what was Temperance Brennan's home, waiting for her to answer the door. He was dressed in a jacket, prepared for the cool spring evening. Brennan opened the door and he was pleasantly surprised by what he saw. After four days of vacation she looked more relaxed than he'd ever remembered seeing her.<p>

Her hair was in a low bun, curly tendrils of hair framing her face.

"Dr. Brennan," he said, trying to ignore her lovely appearance. "I'm glad you decided to go out with me. I mean, platonically, of course."

Brennan smirked and pulled on a light jacket. "Angela says that I need to spend time with people I wouldn't normally spend time with to broaden my horizons. I suppose I couldn't argue with her logic."

Was she joking? Vincent thought. Probably not. This may be a long night. "What would you like to do, Dr. Brennan? I have a few ideas, if you'd like to hear them." He'd actually planned out an itinerary for the evening, but on the way he'd decided that it may not be a good idea to overwhelm her.

"Well, I thought that perhaps we could visit a museum, and then eat." But we _work _at a museum, he thought.

"Perhaps a movie would be a nice change of pace?" he asked politely.

"It's up to you," she replied, shutting and locking her apartment door. "I wasn't planning on going out at all tonight… So whatever you have planned can't be worse than staying in." It was good to know that he had a large margin for failure. Not. Suddenly he was nervous.

"Did you know that in the movie The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland was paid $35 a week while Toto was paid $125?" He blurted. "Just a… a little bit of movie trivia…"

At this point she was considering going back inside and ignoring the world for another night. Her promise to Angela rang in her head; to go out and try to have fun during her vacation.

"Perhaps a movie isn't our best option."

"Absolutely!" he instantly agreed. "We can do better... do you still want to see a museum?"

"Which one?" she asked.

"You're right, we work at one," he said, growing more and more on edge. This was not a date, he thought, but he felt nervous enough for it to be one.

"Oh," Temperance frowned. Vincent looked like he did when she was chastising him about a case. Was she so unfriendly that she made people feel uneasy even during what was supposed to be a fun social outing?

As he rambled on about his ideas she thought; she couldn't let people think she was aloof and cold anymore. "Mr. Nigel-Murray," she said gently, stopping him mid-trivia. "I mean… Vincent, I liked your movie suggestion." She would make the effort, she decided. She would be open and friendly and she would prove to herself that she could do it.

"Oh…" he stopped and looked at her. Her expression was soft and almost appealing. "What movie would you like?" was all he could ask.

"I don't know what's in the theaters," she admitted. "Maybe you should decide."

The museum was empty in the nighttime, something Tempe knew personally. It was like the building had been put on mute and she could walk in, completely safe and usually alone. But not tonight.

* * *

><p>Brennan took the DVD from Vincent's hands with a grin and hooked the projector to the player.<p>

"Do you like this movie?" Vincent asked. He'd figured she would; most women enjoyed Pride and Prejudice.

"I enjoy it immensely. Almost as much as the book," she replied eagerly. "I don't watch a lot of TV or watch movies very often, but I like this one."

"As do I," he said pleasantly as she sat down next to him on the floor. During the movie, he would occasionally turn his head to look at her, her face prettily illuminated by the lights on the screen.

It was interesting to see different sides to different people, he thought. The cold and professional Dr. Temperance Brennan was enraptured by the unfolding romance, her big eyes pointed toward the shining screen. He caught her gaze for a moment and she smiled at him.

"What did you think?" she asked as the credits rolled.

"It was a brilliant idea," he said enthusiastically. "How did you think to come in here to watch a movie instead?"

"Well, Angela says that she and Hodgins used to come here to watch movies for free before they were married. I mean, you and I are not going to get married, but that's just what Angela said…" she trailed off, completely embarrassed. How could she have thought she could say the right thing in any kind of social circumstance?

He smiled. "Don't worry Dr. Brennan. Would you like to eat now?"

* * *

><p>It was late when they walked into the Royal Diner. As they scanned the menus Temperance noticed that he was taking short glances at the alcohol menu, then looking back up at her and smiling.<p>

"So, Mr. Nigel-Murray, how have your Alcoholics Anonymous meeting been going?" she asked in attempt to make conversation. His face flushed deep red and he coughed.

"Well, I've been managing to stay anonymous so far," he said, looking around the restaurant to see if anyone had heard her. "Quite well, Dr. Brennan, thank you."

"What step are you on?" she wondered if her questions were inappropriate and didn't let him answer. "Oh, I'm sorry. Is it a secret? Are you allowed to talk about it?" she asked innocently.

Vincent smiled. She really wasn't being rude, he decided; she just didn't really know how to make small-talk. It was interesting that this brilliant woman could simply look at bones and be able to tell how that person had lived, could solve murders, but couldn't find the right things to say in a relaxed social situation. It was almost… cute. His superior at work, Temperance Brennan, was cute.

"Oh, ah, no, it's not a secret. Of course I'm past the step where I make amends…" She stifled a laugh and his face flushed.

"I have to say, I was very amused when you made amends with everyone," she said with her signature laugh, eyebrows raised. "Especially Cam."

He laughed sheepishly. "So… you really weren't angry?"

"Of course not, Mr. Nigel-Murray," she responded cheerfully. "You didn't hurt my iguana. In fact you must have taken very good care of him."

"And… the other thing…?" he asked, becoming very interested in his glass of water. Her face remained blank for a moment but soon lit up in realization.

"Oh, well, it wasn't a very good rumor to spread," she said with a grin. "Although you did say sorry… and I'm sure that you told your friends the truth?" It was more of a question than a statement.

"Well you see Dr. Brennan, I haven't really seen those people in a while," he replied, now stirring the water with his straw.

"Oh. Why not?"

He looked up at her and gave her a good-natured smile. "They always want to drink," he said, "and I know that I'll join in." It seemed too personal to tell her, but she simply nodded her head.

"That's logical," she said simply. "Sometimes personal sacrifices have to be made to achieve your goals." For some reason that felt very personal to him, also. He decided to change the subject.

"Are you tired at all, Dr. Brennan?"

She glanced at her phone for the time. 12:07. "Not particularly," she replied. "But if you want me to I can call a cab and go home."

He was shocked. "Of course not," he said. "I can take you home. I'll walk you if you like." The air outside was cool but not too cold, and the trees and flowers were just starting to blossom.

"I wouldn't mind that," she said with a shy smile. He was so polite; it was one of the reasons that he was one of her favorite interns. The other interns had great personalities, but Vincent had something else. She couldn't put her finger on it yet.

* * *

><p>It wasn't too cold outside as they walked but Temperance's hands were chilly. She rubbed them together and blew on them.<p>

Vincent instantly shrugged his jacket off of his shoulders. "No, Mr. Nigel-Murray," she laughed.

"I insist," he said, draping his jacket over her shoulders.

"It's just my hands…" she said, knowing she was wasting her breath.

"It's the gentlemanly thing to do," he said with a smile. She laughed a little and felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. It was a text from Hannah. She sighed and viewed the message.

_Hey Tempe, is it an ok time for me to call?_

Although curious, Vincent didn't ask why she was frowning.

_I'm with a friend right now. Can it wait?_ Was the reply she sent.

"Sorry," she said with a smile. "It's just Hannah."

"Oh, Booth's fiancée?" She nodded. "You two are friends?"

"Um, yes," she said. "We talk occasionally. She's very pleasant," she added.

"That's good," he replied. He wondered how it was that they were friends. He'd been under the impression that Booth and Brennan would get together for so long he almost didn't believe that there could ever be another woman in the mix. Her phone vibrated again and he couldn't help but let his curiosity peak at the look on her face.

_That's okay! Are you on a date? ;)_

It took her a moment to answer that question. There they were, walking home together, his jacket draped over her shoulders after dinner and a movie.

_No._

* * *

><p>They stood at the threshold of her apartment door. "Good night, Mr. Nigel-Murray," said Temperance, handing his jacket back to him. "I appreciate you taking me out, even though I know Angela put you up to it."<p>

He'd completely forgotten his promise to Angela. "Oh… well I assure you, that's not the only reason I would come to visit you," he said with a smile. She laughed cynically and shrugged.

"Anyway, I had a good time. I'm sure I'll be seeing you at the lab when my vacation time is up?"

"Perhaps before then," he said, instantly regretting the words as soon as they tumbled out of his mouth.

"Oh," was all she could say, surprised that he'd actually enjoyed her company. "Thank you." Was that the appropriate thing to say in this situation?

"Of course…" he said, his face growing hot. "I'll see you soon, Dr. Brennan. Good night!"

* * *

><p>When he was gone she sat on her couch, floored. Had she just made a new friend? She found that she liked Mr. Nigel-Murray even outside of the lab. He was… nice. She was distracted from her thoughts by the vibrating of her phone. Hannah was calling.<p>

"Hello?"

"Hey Tempe," Hannah said cheerfully over the other line. "Is now a good time to talk?"

"Of course," Brennan said reluctantly. What could Hannah want at this late hour?

"I'm sorry I'm calling so late, but I was too excited to wait," she gushed. "We were making wedding plans…"

"Oh," Brennan said, crashing down from her happy feeling. "Why did you call?"

"I decided that I want you to be my maid of honor. I won't take no for an answer," she said, sounding so happy. Exactly the opposite of how Temperance felt.

"Are you sure?" she asked, uncertain of how to get out of this situation. "I've never been a maid of honor. I have no experience…"

"Oh, you don't have to do anything but stand there and look pretty. You don't even have to help plan the wedding." Well, that was a relief, she thought to herself. "I know that Seeley wants you there, and to be a part of it. But he couldn't ask you to be his best man!"

For some reason that made her even more depressed. She felt tears spring to her eyes. "Of course," she said quickly. "Of course I'll be the maid of honor."

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><p>Ho-kay, there's another chapter. And it was up pretty fast, too! At least by my standards. :) Everyone be sure to review, and give me your thoughts, comments, and suggestions. I love hearing it all! Some people PMed me over this week and gave me some wonderful ideas that I'm planning to use.<p>

P.S. Soon this story will start to get a little steamier. I have some great ideas, so stick with me!

Love, me!


	4. A little more conversation

Hola, everyone! I just wanted to thank anyone who reviewed and remind you (or plead you?) to keep it up! This story is so much fun to write but with your encouragement and great ideas I feel so much more motivated to write.

Also, I'm sorry there isn't much steamy action yet, but there will be! I just want to develop the story a little bit so it's just that much more enjoyable to read (and write!)!

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><p>Angela frowned when Brennan opened the door. "Did you just wake up?" she asked, taking in Tempe's ruffled appearance. She wasn't even out of pajamas yet and it was 12:30pm.<p>

"Of course not! I just haven't gotten ready," she replied, suddenly self-conscience.

"I brought you lunch," Angela said. "Hope you don't mind that I ate a little on the way. That's why there's so much. I'm starving!"

Brennan smiled and helped her get the bags of food on the table. "Thank you. I didn't want to make something."

"No problem, Sweetie," Angela replied with a wave of her hand. She groaned as she sat down. "How was your night?"

"Oh," Temperance said with a laugh. She had been so caught up thinking about Hannah's last request that she'd almost forgotten that Angela had sent Vincent to visit her. "It was nice."

"Just nice?" Angela asked with a full mouth. "Come on! I sent a total beefcake to hang out with you last night and it was just nice?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," the other woman replied, eyebrow raised. "I haven't ever had a beefcake."

Angela rolled her eyes. "Vincent, honey. Vincent is a beefcake. Now tell me what you did last night."

"Well, we saw a movie at the Jeffersonian, and then ate," she said. "That's all."

"Oh..." Angela sighed and took another bite. She would analyze later, when she wasn't so hungry.

"Angela, Hannah called me last night. She asked me to be the maid of honor for her and Booth's wedding." She looked down at the table. "I don't think I know how to feel. I said yes."

Angela sat quiet for a minute. Poor Tempe. "You have to help plan the wedding?"

"No, but she said she wanted me to be involved." She didn't know what to say. Hanging out with an intern wasn't going to fix Brennan's heart, or even make her feel better about herself. Was there anything a best friend could even do?

* * *

><p>Vincent drummed his fingers on the solid oak desk. What was there to do for this lottery winner on days when he wasn't working? Honestly, he thought, he would rather be at the Jeffersonian working than in Paris, or Moscow or South America.<p>

Either way, there wasn't much to do now. His thoughts wandered to Dr. Brennan and the night before. She had been… pleasant, and funny and sociable. She was far different from the way she was at work, and even prettier.

He was reluctant to think that she was pretty. It was true in the first place, but now when he thought of her he remembered how much fun he'd had last night rather than the way she was at work; cold, curt, and awkward.

"Hmm," he said out loud, focusing on the lines of the wood on the desk. Maybe she had layers, a cold outer shell surrounding someone soft, and warm and wonderful…

He shook his head. The last thing he needed was a crush on Temperance Brennan. He laughed at himself silently.

"Nearly 40 percent of workers have had a workplace romance," he said absentmindedly. The statement didn't clear his head like he'd hoped. Perhaps he should see invite her out one more time, so he could stop these thoughts for good. Last night was probably a fluke, he thought to himself. He picked up the phone.

* * *

><p>Brennan sighed as her phone rang in the middle of her conversation with Angela. Her first reaction was that there was a case, but then she remembered that she was on vacation. She stared at her caller ID, perplexed.<p>

It was Vincent.

Angela raised an eyebrow.

"It's Vincent," Brennan said, answering the silently asked question. Angela grinned as her friend answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Dr. Brennan," Vincent said, suddenly realizing that he hadn't planned on what to say.

"Mr. Nigel-Murray," she responded.

"Call him Vincent!" Angela whispered loudly. Tempe was even more perplexed by Angela.

"Ah, Dr. Brennan, I was wondering if you'd like to join me tonight."

"Join you where?" she replied. Angela squealed in the background.

Vincent looked at his phone and almost hung up on her out of panic. "To, to… to go see a play?" Stupid, he thought to himself. What play? He didn't know of any.

"Well…" Brennan looked at Angela. "Can you hold on?" She covered the mouthpiece to her phone.

"Say yes," Angela said, excited. "Whatever he's asking just go and have fun." She rubbed her belly. "For me?"

"For you?"

"I can't go out for too long without getting tired or swollen ankles. I have to live vicariously."

Tempe uncovered the speaker. "Sure, I'll join you, Mr. Nigel-Murray."

"Vincent!" Angela said. "His name is Vincent!" Tempe ignored her.

"Perfect! I can get you at seven," he said. "Good bye, Dr. Brennan!"

"He likes you!" Angela cried as soon as Brennan pushed the END button. Brennan wasn't sure what to think. She'd enjoyed last night; she'd forgotten everything and spent time with a new friend. Although she hadn't had much time to reflect on their outing she knew that she'd had fun.

"Of course he does," Brennan smiled. "We work together, so we have to get along."

"That's not what I mean, sweetie," Angela said with a grin. "He _like-likes_ you."

"I don't know what you mean," the other woman frowned.

* * *

><p>Seven couldn't come fast enough, Brennan thought. She was grateful to have an excuse to leave when the time came.<p>

She was currently sitting at the diner with Booth and Hannah, who were both as happy as clams (a phrase Hodgins had recently taught her), eating and planning out every detail of their wedding. Tempe was surprised that Booth was as interested as he was in the details about flowers, food, decorations.

She tried not to be irritated. This _was_ his wedding, after all, and he should be excited. She was just tired or hearing it.

"… so which colors do you like?" Colors? Tempe looked down at the table to see color swatches that looked like they were from a paint store, arranged in different combinations.

"Oh… I like the purple and gray," she replied, picking a random combination.

"Indigo and silver," Hannah said with a smile. "I like this one too. What do you think, Seeley?"

"It's perfect," he said with a nod. "Whatever you ladies decide. This is your thing."

"He's really more interested than he lets on," Hannah said to Brennan as if she were telling her a secret. She just smiled politely and looked at Booth, who raised his eyebrows at her with a look like a best friend would exchange.

Were they even friends anymore? They had grown apart so much.

"So, Temperance," Hannah said a she gathered up the colors and stuck them in her purse. "Are you enjoying your vacation?"

"Yes, but I wish I was back at work," she replied. Hannah nodded in agreement.

"I'm the same way. But a vacation now and then is good for you. Have you just been relaxing? Or are you spending your free time with anyone special?"

"No one special," Tempe said with a grin. Even if it wasn't true, she didn't want to come across as lonely or sad.

"Ohh, that's my girl!" Hannah laughed. "Anyone we know?"

"I doubt it," she said, glancing at Booth, who seemed interested but not jealous.

"What are your plans tonight? Maybe you and I could go somewhere."

"I actually do have plans," she replied, thanking the universe for Vincent. He wasn't a 'special someone' but she was relieved that she had a legitimate excuse not to spend more time with Hannah.

"Ooh," Hannah said. Booth cleared his throat uncomfortably, and Tempe felt happy that he was at least a little bit interested in her life.

"It's not really anything. I'm going to a play with Vincent." Booth made a face and finally spoke.

"Vincent Nigel-Murray?"

"Yes," she said pleasantly, picking up a french fry and eating it.

"Your intern?" Now Hannah looked truly interested, and Booth looked perplexed.

"Wow, Tempe," she said. "Intern?"

"Is that even allowed?" Booth asked.

"It's not anything," Temperance said with a laugh. "But yes, it is allowed. Obviously, Angela and Hodgins are married."

"Have you kissed yet?" Hannah asked, and Booth scoffed. Why would he scoff? She wondered.

"No, we're not even involved like that. Angela…" she trailed off. Was she really just about to admit that the only person spending time with her was doing so just because Angela had put him up to it? Pull it together, Tempe. "Angela says that I should try to spend time with new people and broaden my horizons. And since Mr. Nigel-Murray has been all over the world…"

It was a weak lie and she knew it. Booth looked at her suspiciously and Hannah just nodded.

"Sure, mm-hm, I see what's going on here," she said with a laugh. "I won't push. Oh, It's almost time to meet with the florist, Seeley. "

"I'll catch up with you in a second, Hannah," he said kindly. She kissed him on the cheek.

"Okay. In a minute. Bye, Temperance!"

Booth and Brennan sat at the table, silent for a second. She wondered why he stayed behind.

"Are you dating Vincent?" he asked suddenly. She was actually shocked by the question and she laughed. "C'mon, Bones, don't laugh. I only ask because you're my partner." He smiled. "My buddy. Are you?"

"No, I'm not seeing Vincent like that," she sighed. "He isn't interested in me. And I'm not interested either."

"Okay, I was just wondering." He stood up to leave. It felt like there was a rhino in the room. Or was it an elephant? She couldn't ever keep her euphemisms straight. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but she wasn't sure of what it could be.

"It was good to see you, Bones." He gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Thanks for being Hannah's maid of honor." He left. She watched him climb into his car with Hannah, smiling.

She would never figure out Seeley Booth, she realized. And he wasn't hers to figure out.

* * *

><p>Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading and sticking with me so far. :) I just wanted to remind you to review again, and send me your thoughts and ideas. I LOVE hearing them, I can't tell you enough! Please review. I know you want to!<p>

PS. One more thing-I want an answer from anyone and everyone-what do you think Tempe and Vincent should do when they go out? Let me know in your review or a PM!

Love, me!


	5. Oddities

**Important note:**

Hey everyone, this is Deena, the original author of this fic! As my last A/N said, I am done writing this story. I just don't have the time or the energy for this story anymore, and I'm so sad about that. I have a lot on my plate, and right now the only fic I can truly give my attention to is **Help Wanted**.

But I have some wonderful news! In the last A/N I wrote, I said that this fic was up for adoption. And guess what!? It was adopted! By a lovely and talented author who goes by the penname **DelaineyKH**. It will appear on my profile,** but she is the one who is writing it**!

She wrote this very chapter that you are about to read. I'll just be beta-ing from now on. :) Enjoy this chapter by **DelaineyKH**!

* * *

><p>Tying her hair up in a bun, Temperance stared at the figure before her in the mirror. She spent more time getting ready than usual, and it was just a simple play. But she wanted to look, nice, for Mr. Nigel-Murray. Angela's voice ran through her head. 'Call him Vincent.' Then her mind ran to Hannah and Booth's wedding. Why had she agreed to be the maid of honor when she felt so conflicted about it?<p>

* * *

><p>Vincent sat staring at the clock, willing it to go faster so he wouldn't have to sit in his empty house all alone. The only play running in town that he could find tickets for was Romeo and Juliet. How could he be so stupid? He should have just asked her to dinner, but it was too late now. He'd bought balcony seats–the only ones left that had seats right next to each other. He stole another glance at the clock, only to be disappointed again. Only three minutes had passed while he'd been ranting inside his head.<p>

He got up off of his chair and began to walk to his car. No point sitting in an empty house with no joy...

* * *

><p>Temperance Brennan smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She put her hand on her hip and smacked herself in the face lightly<em>. What am I doing?<em> She asked herself. _Why am I so nervous? _A light knock at the door made her jump slightly, she recollected her thoughts and opened the door. Vincent Nigel-Murray looked quite alluring. _Stop it,_ she told herself.

"Dr. Brennan, you look fantastic," Vincent complimented.

"You look rather al- attractive yourself Mr. Nigel-Murray." She was so embarrassed! She almost called him alluring, to his face! _Oh no..._

"Thank you, shall we go?" he asked.

"Yes. What play have you selected this evening, Mr. Nigel-Murray?" _'Call him Vincent!'_ Angela's voice sounded in her head. "I'm sorry," she said, deciding to follow Angela's advice. "Vincent."

Vincent was taken aback. That was maybe the first time she'd called him simply by his first name. "No, that's quite alright, Dr. Brennan. I see no harm in using formal names. Did you know—" She cut him off.

"You never answered my previous question. What play have you selected this evening?" she challenged again. He seemed hesitant to answer this question, even when he was the one who invited her to accompany him.

"Um, Romeo and Juliet." Vincent spat out nervously. Thoughts and facts were beginning to jumble in his head, desperately searching for the way that he could dig himself out of the inevitable hole he'd dug himself, full of ridicule and embarrassment.

"Hm, interesting selection. I've always enjoyed Shakespeare myself, although I favor Macbeth in the way it was written," she declared.

Vincent almost soiled his pants anticipating what she would say about his selection, and when she finally gave him her opinion, he inwardly thanked Science that she didn't think it was odd that he'd chosen Romeo and Juliet.

The rest of the ride was in a comfortable silence that neither Temperance nor Vincent broke, for there was nothing to say, really. Temperance was on vacation, so there was no way she could ask him about the case, which upset her. She was itching to find out what other evidence that they had uncovered in the lab from the time that she'd been gone.

Vincent was the opposite. He wasn't even thinking about the case that they were working on at the moment. He was so nervous that the only things running through his head were facts.

The highest a human has flown from the earth upward by balloon is approximately 128,097 feet which is over 23 miles (39 kilometers) above sea level, and it was done by Felix Baumgartner of Austria. The balloon was 55 stories tall, helium-filled and strung to a capsule that Felix sat in. Baumgartner was wearing a full body, high technology, oxygen supplied, fully pressurized and heated suit with helmet.

Felix Baumgartner is the only human to break the sound barrier in a free fall, surrounded by only a suit without the aid of any type of vessel protecting him while falling. Baumgartner's world record free fall speed is recorded at 833.9 miles per hour at mach 1.24, and since he was traveling at a speed faster than the speed of sound, he didn't hear the sonic boom. The planning of this mission took over 5 years, with a total of about 300 people including 70 engineers, scientists and physicians.

Did you know that the awesome sounding crack of a bullwhip in the air is a supersonic boom? The crack of the whip occurs when the sound barrier is broken.

They finally arrived at the theatre, and being the gentleman he was, Vincent offered her his arm and she took it without a second thought, watching the door as he escorted her inside.

They found their seats and sat down, waiting for the Chorus to begin.

_"Two Households both alike in dignity…_"

After a while, Temperance began to feel sadness creeping into her heart. It wasn't the sadness of the story playing before her—it was how she was comparing these situations to her life. Mr. Nigel-Murray seemed like he was enjoying himself. He was really engrossed in the story, trying to understand. Temperance started studying his face, thinking about the things she liked and didn't like.

_I like his eyes, they seem full of knowledge and caring. His hair seems nice, I wonder which one of his parents had the dark hair. I've always wanted to know which gender has more dominance when it comes to chromosomes._ Temperance started to observes his hands._ Strong hands it appears, but also nimble. I wonder... Stop it!_

After awhile Vincent felt as if someone was watching him, and he turned his head to see Dr. Brennan looking at his hands. "Um, Dr. Brennan, the play is not very entertaining unless you watch it..." he pointed out with a whisper. Temperance quickly tried to rationalize her staring.

"I was wondering–-which one of your parents had the dark hair? It's for some research that I am conducting. I'm studying which gender has more dominance when conceiving a child."

Vincent was obviously confused, and it showed on his face. "Um, my mother. But my father was the one with blue eyes," Vincent whispered. She nodded and took a mental note, but turned her attention back to the actors.

Vincent couldn't help but feel as if she was doing more than conducting research, but she _was _Dr. Temperance Brennan, someone who was nothing but logic. He turned his attention back to the play before him, and got drawn in the story once again.

When the curtains closed, Vincent grabbed his jacket and stretched, and began to escort Dr. Brennan out the door. She unconsciously grabbed his arm again as they began to walk outside toward the car.

Their arms separated as they approached the car and they took their seats. Vincent began to make conversation about the show and was surprised to learn that Dr. Brennan had been pleasantly entertained. "I truly enjoyed the woman who played the Nurse character; she grabbed my attention very strongly during her soliloquies and monologues."

Vincent elaborated on this statement, glad to have something to talk about with her. "Yes, I think I most enjoyed the Queen Mab monologue performed by Mercutio, the actor was most excellent."

They continued to discuss the show until Vincent slowed in front of Temperance's home. "Would you like me to walk you to the door, Dr. Brennan?" he asked, not noticing that she was observing him again.

The way he would watch the road with a very careful and watchful eye… it made her feel a little safer when riding in the same vehicle as him. He also sat very poised when he drove, shoulders slightly back, feet attentive, his hands gripped at the 10 and 2 positions. A sign of a very careful driver.

"Dr. Brennan?" Vincent asked again, snapping her out of her observation-induced trance.

"What was that Mr. Nigel-Murray?" she asked, trying not to seem like she was just staring at him.

"I asked you if you would like me to walk you to your door." he said, talking a little slower.

"Yes, I wouldn't mind that," she said, getting out of the car. She stumbled a little as she got out of the car.

"Are you alright Dr. Brennan?" Vincent questioned, concerned. Dr. Brennan shook her head.

"No, I'm perfectly fine. I'm tired, that's all," she stated, trying to convince herself more than anyone else. She began to sway as she walked up the stairs towards her apartment. What was wrong with her?

"Dr. Brennan, would you like some assistance?" Vincent called from the bottom step of her doorway. She shook her head, hoping to clear it, but all it did was mess up her thoughts more.

"No, Mr. Nigel-Murray. I am, as stated earlier, fine." Temperance spoke, not really sure if she was alright after all.

"Are you _sure_ you're alright?" Vincent asked once more, not wishing to get into an argument this late at night.

"Yes, I am completely fine, Mr. Nigel-Murray. Thank you for the wonderful evening, it was a delightful show. And I shall see you soon," she said, stumbling into the house, not quite closing the door. Vincent sighed and started to walk back to his car.

Temperance's head was spinning, and she didn't know why. Her sleep hadn't been adequate, but it had been enough for her to function and think clearly. She'd eaten earlier and had a bottle of water at the theater. Temperance felt her knees give out and she couldn't feel the floor—it was as if she kept falling. She started grabbing for something to hold onto, but she couldn't stop her fall. She knew she had to scream for Vincent. _Oh I hope he hasn't left!_ "VINCENT! MURRAY! HELP ME!"

Vincent thought he heard some shouting. "HELP ME!" Is all he could make out. "Dr. Brennan?" he shouted back. He looked up to see that her door was still halfway open. Vincent started running toward the door, and when he peered inside, he was shocked to see Dr. Brennan on the floor. He fell to his knees and grabbed her gently. "Dr. Brennan? Can you hear me?"

Temperance stopped falling, she was thrown back into reality and her head began to clear. She was starting to feel less dizzy, but she was still disoriented. "Yes, I can." she whispered, suddenly exhausted.

"Are you alright?" Vincent asked her, she was lying on the floor and her pupils were severely dilated. "I'm not sure," she said, trying to stand, but she collapsed back into Vincent's arms.

"Why don't you lie down, and I'll call Angela or Dr. Saroyan."

She stopped him, "No, Mr. Nigel-Murray, you're more than certified to help me. Please, can you just help me to my bed please?" He nodded as he helped her up and escorted her to her bedroom, hoping that she wouldn't have another episode.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Again, I just want to remind you that it was not I who wrote this chapter. I just want to say that I'm really happy that **DelaineyKH** has decided to adopt this fic, and I'm super excited about the direction she is taking the story in!

And now I say goodbye to this story. :) We had a good run!

-Deena


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